Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Art can appear in the strangest of places and what qualifies as art is as wide and as varied as the works themselves. So, what about a city? Can a city be art? You might not think so, but artist darwinfish105 is about to prove you wrong with his breathtaking shots of Tokyo.
You are about to see the largest city in the world change into a futuristic technological metropolis. In addition, all of this is accomplished with just a camera and some mirrors.
Those who are familiar with Chinese history should be familiar with Romance of the Three Kingdoms, an epic that is now considered one of the greatest literary classics in China. Detailing legendary tales from the warring era of the Three Kingdoms, the book itself is full of stories of love, friendship and loyalty.
Fast forward to modern times, where we find three ardent robot fans in China with the spirit of the Three Kingdoms coursing through their veins who came together to create an amazing gigantic Gundam-like statue based on one of the best known characters in the epic – Guan Yu.
Mexican clothing company Heredia Clothing has been promoting their line-up of Dragon Ball Z sneakers for a few months now, but fans heading to Expo TNT on January 31-February 1 in Guadalajara can also get their kicks autographed by the original Mexican voice actors for Goku and Vegeta, Mario Castañeda and Rene Garcia.
While dollhouses have been popular in Europe for centuries, they didn’t really develop a strong showing in Japan until the 1970s. However, since they’ve gained a foothold in Japanese society, they’ve gained popularity and a number of domestic craftsmen have appeared. One of the hottest dollhouse makers in Japan (a phrase we never thought we’d write) has gotten a lot of attention online due to the high quality of the miniatures–particularly the dollhouses based on Japanese buildings!
If you’re a fan of the internet, then chances are you saw this YouTube video a few years back of Marquese Scott, otherwise known as NONSTOP, performing his mesmerizing “animation” style of dance. It may look like fancy camera tricks, but nope, he can actually just dance like he has no bones.
Thanks to that video, NONSTOP is now world famous, and he recently traveled to Japan to do a collaboration with the entertainment group Team Black Starz. Together they created something beautiful: a video of NONSTOP going around Japan, inspiring salarymen, old dudes, and homeless people to breakdance with the power of his magic sunglasses.
China has a complicated relationship with golf.
The sport was banned under Mao in the 1940s through the ‘80s for being a millionaires’ hobby. It wasn’t until 1984 that the first golf course in China was even constructed, and then 20 years later in 2004, building new golf courses was banned.
Of course, that hasn’t stopped developers from doing it anyway. In 2004 there were 176 courses, and now 10 years and one moratorium later, there are over 1,000.
One of the first and certainly the largest is the Mission Hills Golf Club. Comprising two resorts in Shenzhen and Gongguan, it is the largest golf club in the world with 12 courses, all designed by famous golfers.
Mission Hills also built Mission Hills Haiku, another luxury golf club located on the resort island of Hainan — one of the only places in China exempt from the ban on building new golf courses.
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, stores across Japan are sure to be painted chocolate-brown in the coming weeks. Yes, chocolate makers here can count on doing brisk business in the days leading up to February 14, as Valentine’s Day is traditionally a day in Japan when women give gifts of chocolate to men, and shops will typically have whole areas devoted to chocolates of every shape, flavor and price range imaginable. Isetan Department Store is no exception, and one of the chocolates they’ll have on offer this year is … a beautiful creation from popular Italian chocolate manufacturer BABBI that features Sailor Moon and her guardian soldiers!
Some people like to live a minimalist lifestyle – keeping the bare minimum of possessions and even living in tiny houses to help stave off clutter. But the vast majority of people who’ve lived a long, full life tend to have stores of secret treasures stacked up that can still be both fascinating and valuable today. When one Twitter user caught their grandma in the act of throwing away a box of old postcards and photos, they rugby tackled the old dear (erm, figuratively) to prevent her from trashing some priceless artefacts of the past. Join us after the jump for a good gander at granny’s box of memories!
When you think of Japanese food, you likely think of sushi, ramen, or udon–all excellent choices! You might even find your mouth watering at thoughts of monjayaki or anko ice cream, but there may be a few that you’re not so familiar with. Today, we’re going to look at 12 lesser-known foods–and what one of our intrepid writers thought about them!
In larger countries like Australia and the United States, vehicle registration is carried out at the state level. This has long allowed each state to produce distinctive designs, including slogans or iconic imagery on number plates. In little Japan, however, vehicle registration is issued by the national government, so car owners have had no option to show their local pride with a regional license plate…until now.
The Ministry of Transport has announced that from next year, local authorities will be free to put colourful character designs on car number plates. Let’s have a look at some of the potential ways to pimp your Japanese numberplate!
No matter how scholastically talented you are, it’s hard to concentrate on an empty stomach. Even the bright minds at Tokyo University, Japan’s most prestigious institute of higher learning, need to take a break from studying and grab some chow now and again.
Of course, it’s hard to give yourself a mental recharge eating bland cafeteria food. Thankfully, that’s not a concern for the students of Tokyo University’s Kashiwa Campus, who’re lucky enough to have an amazing sushi restaurant right on the school grounds.
At a glance, these lipsticks look like any other you can find at your local drugstore. However, this Valentine’s Day, you can buy a whole set of them for your loved one and watch them chomp down on these deliciously colorful lipstick-shaped chocolates!
Like clockwork, every winter I get a serious bout of home-sickness. It’s usually triggered by a call or email from someone back home telling me about taking a drive with the top down, watching football on ordinary broadcast TV, going out for some Vietnamese sandwiches, or one of the other things I miss about life in Los Angeles.
“But,” I remind myself, “Japan has lots of cool things too! Where else can you go to the museum and see massive collections of samurai armor, huh?”
Oh, right now you can do that at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art? Touché, L.A.
Chilly January is drawing to a close and that means that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Here in Japan, Valentine chocolates are big business, which means shops pull out all the stops to create delicacies as easy on the eyes as they are sweet in your mouth. We’ve picked our favorites for this year, so whether you are buying for your lover or yourself, check out these dainty nibbles!
It’s been said that younger generations of drinkers in Japan just aren’t that into beer anymore. With them opting instead for cheaper and sweeter cocktails, good old ale (or ale-flavored stuff) is gradually being pushed aside.
However, our intrepid reporter Meg has found a way to reinvent beer to younger folks appealing to their sweet-tooths. It comes from South Korea where it’s called “Saengkeulim Maegju” or “Cream Beer” and is basically beer with some whipped cream on top. It’s so easy you can make it at home…so we did!
Makeup is one of the most important factors that could make or break a cosplay outfit. Cosplayers sometimes spend hours exposed to sunlight or strong lighting in a photoshoot or at conventions, and it means a great deal to them to have makeup that lasts and delivers the photogenic results that they want.
Want your skin to look effortlessly flawless in photos? The good news is, the cosplay-loving Japanese have just released a lineup of base makeup items designed specifically to cater to the needs of cosplayers! The greater news is, these products are not going to burn a hole in your wallet, and non-cosplayers can use them for regular makeup too!
Earlier this week, a video that is thought to have been produced by Islamic State militants surfaced, demanding that Japan pay a ransom of $200 million within 72 hours for the release of two Japanese hostages, Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who had recently visited the Middle East and pledged $200 million in non-military aid, vowed to not give in to terrorism. The 72-hour time limit came and went, and on Saturday a new video was posted claiming that one hostage, Yukawa, was killed. While Abe and the Japanese people are angry, experts are taking a closer look to verify the authenticity of the somewhat questionable video.
When you look at them a certain way, huggy pillows with pictures of cute anime girls on them are kind of creepy. Well, actually, they’re creepy in several ways, but for right now, let’s limit our discussion to one way in particular.
Even if we accept that there’s nothing wrong with consensual love between a man and his pillow, their relative sizes make the situation kind of weird. After all, a person’s height is far greater than a pillow’s length, so wouldn’t Miss Anime Pillow feel a little awkward cuddling with her much larger otaku owner?
It’d probably be a little like squeezing a gigantic anime pillow that’s six meters (19.7 feet) long. Of course, if that sounds like your personal vision of bedtop bliss, there’s a company giving away just that.
The Japanese fashion world doesn’t hold any stigmas against guys who enthusiastically accessorize. As such, it’s not uncommon for couples to buy what’re called “pair accessories,” usually rings or necklaces with similar designs, meant to evoke a sense of closeness even when the two lovers are apart.
Considering the recent boom in anime-inspired fashion and accessories, it’s not such a big shock that one jewelry maker has created a set of pair rings based on Evangelion, one of the most popular franchises in the history of Japanese animation. Nor is it surprising that the designers chose to model the rings after two characters who, even if they don’t directly show such feelings, are considered by many fans to be sweet on each other.
What is getting attention, though, is that the two character, Shinji and Kaworu, are both guys.
KFC Malaysia has launched an investigation after a fist-fight broke out between employees in a branch of the restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. The fight, which happened directly in front of customers, was captured on camera and uploaded Facebook, where it has been shared and viewed thousands of times.
A video of the punch-up, which appears to show one member of staff verbally abusing another before a third employee dives in with a flying kick, was uploaded on January 17. KFC Malaysia was surprisingly quick to respond.
Children’s slippers stolen in night at Japanese preschool, police identify weasel who did it【Vid】
Japan reaches its lowest-ever ranking on Education First’s 2024 English Proficiency Index
Don’t miss the swords-on-fire performances and more at Asakusa Samuraive Show this week
Japan’s new frozen sushi DIY kit – Great foodie fun, or cold-hearted abomination?【Taste test】
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
Turn clear files into works of art with cleverly designed Japanese scroll
79-year-old Japanese granny who fell in love with Initial D sports car finds perfect new owner【Vid】
The new Ranma 1/2 anime is here! So is it worth watching?【SoraReview】
Real-life Rurouni Kenshin reverse-blade katana, forged by master swordsmith, now on display【Pics】One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Japanese job-quitting service contacted by other job-quitting service because employee wants to quit
After cancelling Halloween, Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood cancels New Year’s Eve too
Mario Kart Happy Meal toys arrive at McDonald’s Japan, and SoraNews24 has the whole set!【Photos】
Tokyo park’s sea of clouds, nighttime illumination, and cosplay days make now perfect time to visit
Beautiful Japanese garden green tea crepes waiting in Tokyo’s historical Asakusa neighborhood
Samurai ritual suicide contest cancelled by organizer in west Japan
American jackass tourist arrested after carving name into gate at Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine【Video】
Flying dango: Unique tourist site where Japanese sweets are flown to you over a gorge
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
Tokyo Disneyland loses top-attendance crown for Japanese theme parks for second year in a rowGhibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Ghibli Park debuts first winter illumination display with Howl’s Moving Castle theme
Pringles releases a limited-edition sweet flavour in Japan
What’s the deal with akebi, the perfectly purple, alien-like fruit that’s in season now in Japan?
Sanrio and magical girl anime PreCure join forces for new merch line【Photos】Japanese job-quitting service contacted by other job-quitting service because employee wants to quitAfter cancelling Halloween, Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood cancels New Year’s Eve too
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengers
[Deleted] Article written for April Fool’s Day 2018
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
Turn clear files into works of art with cleverly designed Japanese scroll
79-year-old Japanese granny who fell in love with Initial D sports car finds perfect new owner【Vid】
The new Ranma 1/2 anime is here! So is it worth watching?【SoraReview】
Real-life Rurouni Kenshin reverse-blade katana, forged by master swordsmith, now on display【Pics】
Japanese Prime Minister once criticized deploying military to fight Godzilla
Seven diet-sabotaging Japanese foods to avoid…or seek out!
Japan Railways now has giant robots performing maintenance work via VR-goggled operators
Mighty, meaty Tokyo ramen joint flips script by overflowing the bowl with delicious chashu pork
New Super Mario prize lottery giving out awesome Question Block snack dispensers【Photos】
Japan’s top 10 dog names for 2017
We visit Tomonoura, the scenic harbor town that inspired Studio Ghibli’s “Ponyo”【Photos】
Hello Kitty and AKB48 collaborate for the ultimate fan merchandise from Thank You Mart
New Japanese KitKat flavour, Sugar Butter Tree, is like cracking a chocolate tree branch